Did you know that around 1 million women in the US experience menopause each year? As we move further into the 21st century, conversations about menopause are finally becoming more open and honest, which we love. After all, this transition is a natural part of life for half the population. The great news? Support is out there, from trusted health experts and educational resources to ingredients from nature that work with your body to help you feel balanced and confident through every stage. Ready to explore your options? Let’s go!
Understanding menopause and the gut connection
Menopause occurs when the ovaries gradually stop producing estrogen. This means menstrual periods and child-bearing years come to an end. The average age for menopause (which is the day that marks one year since your last period) is around 51. Many symptoms can occur along the way. Common symptoms from peri-menopause (before one’s period stops) to post-menopause (more than a year since your last period) include hot flashes and night sweats, fatigue, digestive changes, vaginal changes, bone loss, and more. Even the brain changes as it compensates for differences in estrogen levels.
So, menopause affects way more than the menstrual cycle! It’s a whole body-mind thing. It also affects the microorganisms that call your body home. A recent article in Nature talks about the “menopausal shift,” which is when normal menopausal hormone changes end up shifting your microbiome. Over time, the billions of microorganisms in your body do a bit of a shuffle, changing in number and type throughout the body. These microscopic changes can affect the environments in the mouth, gut, and vagina. One study published in 2022 found that the intestinal microbiome of women after menopause was less diverse than in premenopausal women. It’s believed that postmenopausal intestinal microbiomes are closer to men’s microbiomes, which are also less diverse. You can help to support your ever-changing microbiome and different types of bacteria with probiotics for menopause as well as by eating a gut-healthy diet.
How probiotics work in the body
Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that you can take as dietary supplements. Probiotics can also be found in certain fermented foods, like yogurt. You’ve probably heard how probiotics have benefits for gut health and happy digestion. This is true, and they can be helpful throughout life, including during menopause! Probiotic supplements work by nourishing your internal ecosystem of microorganisms. Researchers have found that probiotic flora work in the gut to help with vitamin production, a healthy intestinal barrier, and making nutrients from food more bioavailable.
5 ways to support menopause with supplements
Interested in supplements, like probiotics, that can help support wellness and comfort from peri-menopause through post-menopause? Here are 5 common issues in the menopause years, and 5 New Chapter supplements that can help you feel like yourself again!
1. Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
According to the Office on Women’s Health, around ¾ of women experience hot flashes (also called hot flushes) during the menopause years. Hot flashes involve sudden warmth and sweating and may be followed by chills. Hot flashes that happen at night are called night sweats. Scientists believe that hot flashes are caused by hormone changes that make the body super-sensitive to slight temperature changes.
There are a couple of herbal approaches to tackling hot flashes. Black cohosh helps to reduce hot flashes and night sweats. It’s the featured herb in our Estrotone Menopause Support blend that helps you stay cool all menopause long.*
Shatavari (shuh-TAHV-erry) is another great herbal ally for women from peri- to post-menopause. A robust clinical study found Aspurus® Shatavari improves women's symptoms of menopause, helping to balance hormones (estradiol & progesterone), and reduce hot flashes, night sweats, and feelings of fatigue. New Chapter’s Shatavari Force™ supplement delivers this exact serving size to help with menopause symptoms and improve quality of life.
2. Vaginal Health
As mentioned above, your inner population of microorganisms changes during menopause, and this includes your vaginal microbiome. New Chapter’s signature probiotics for menopause, All-Flora™ Probiotic Menopause Balance, delivers 10 billion CFU of clinically studied Lactobacilli probiotics to promote a healthy vaginal environment, including a healthy balance of vaginal bacteria and yeast.* The formula also includes prebiotic inulin fiber from organic Jerusalem artichoke that fuels your natural gut bacteria. To round out the formula, we added black cohosh to help with hot flashes and night sweats.* It’s a great go-to for microbiome balance and more from peri- to post-menopause.
3. Sleep Support
Poor sleep is common during the menopause transition years. Getting hot flashes at night (night sweats) can wake you up feeling either too hot or too cold. Changing progesterone levels (another female hormone) can make it harder to fall asleep. You can try recommended sleep hygiene tips, like avoiding naps during the day, turning off screens at least 30 minutes before bedtime, and avoiding alcohol. You could also try sleep aid supplements, like Magnesium + Plant-Based Melatonin from New Chapter. We crafted this to be the perfect pairing of restorative magnesium plus 1 mg of unique tomato-derived melatonin that helps you fall asleep naturally and wake up without grogginess.*
4. Bone Health and Osteoporosis Risk
During menopause, bone mass density reduces by an average of 10%. Depending on where you are on your menopause journey, you can get proactive by taking bone-strengthening calcium before menopause, or take calcium after menopause to support ongoing bone health.* New Chapter’s top-selling calcium formula is Bone Strength Take Care, packed with organic plant calcium from the sea with added vitamins K2 & D3 to guide the calcium to your bones, where you want it.* Bone Strength Take Care supports bone density and normal bone creation, strong teeth*, and helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis (bone loss).†
† Adequate calcium throughout life, as part of a well-balanced diet, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
5. Weight Management and Metabolic Health
The truth is, menopause or not, the human metabolism slows down with age. People naturally get less active, lose muscle mass, use fewer calories, and put on pounds. Ways you can address this include regular physical activity and healthy eating. Specifically, try to get moderate aerobic activity (like walking) from 150-200 minutes a week OR get vigorous aerobic activity (like jogging) for at least 75 minutes a week. It’s also recommended to add strength training exercises at least twice a week. When it comes to food, recommended nutrition for menopause includes eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and aim for at least 30 grams of dietary fiber a day. Talk to your healthcare provider about the right exercise and nutrition program for you!
You could also support healthy metabolic function with berberine, an herbal compound that supports heart health, healthy blood cholesterol, and helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels (within a normal range).* Berberine helps support metabolic health by helping the body to use glucose (blood sugar) properly, which is one of the last steps of converting food into fuel. New Chapter’s Berberine 1000 mg delivers 30x concentrated berberine extract in just 2 tablets daily, helping to support your overall vitality and well-being.
The best probiotic strains for menopause
Menopause changes your overall microbiome, and this includes changes in the vaginal environment. Interestingly, researchers have found that the menopausal vaginal microbiome becomes more diverse (unlike the intestinal microbiome). But those good Lactobacilli bacteria decrease in the vaginal ecosystem as estrogen declines. (Lactobacilli do the job of keeping the vaginal environment slightly acidic, which keeps the growth of harmful bacteria at bay.) All-Flora™ Probiotic Menopause Balance is intentionally crafted with two types of Lactobacilli (L. acidophilus La-14® and L. rhamnosus HN001™). Talk to your health-care provider if you have questions on probiotics for menopause, vaginal balance, and pH.
How to choose a probiotic supplement for menopause
If you’re interested in choosing a probiotic supplement for benefits in menopause (from peri- to post-menopause years), here’s a simple checklist to follow.
- Look for clinically studied strains. This means the benefits listed are backed by scientific research on those specific good bacteria. In the case of New Chapter’s Probiotic Menopause Balance blend, we use clinically studied Lactobacilli.
- Check the CFU count. This means Colony Forming Units, and it refers to the number of viable cells in the product. New Chapter probiotics deliver the clinically studied serving size, which may be 5 billion CFU or 10 billion CFU, depending on the strains studied. The truth is, you don’t need megabillions of a strain for probiotics to work! It’s more important to have an excellent quality probiotic in amounts backed by science.
- Confirm testing. New Chapter probiotics for menopause go through rigorous testing and quality control. Strains are tested for identity at the DNA level, making sure you’re getting the correct, researched micro-flora to support your health.
- Look for third-party verifications. Has the product been reviewed by trusted independent organizations to confirm its quality and contents? All-Flora Probiotic Menopause Balance is Non-GMO Project verified and also certified Kosher.
Supporting your probiotic supplements with gut-friendly food
But wait, there’s more! You can get probiotics into your day through the food you eat, too. Keep in mind that not everything that’s fermented contains a significant amount of living probiotic bacteria. Be sure to read labels for information about the type and number of active strains in a given product. According to the Cleveland Clinic, probiotic-friendly foods include:
- Yogurt—dairy or non-dairy
- Sauerkraut or kimchi—fermented cabbage
- Tempeh or miso—fermented soy products
- Kombucha—fermented tea
- Pickled vegetables—make sure they’re lacto-fermented (not vinegar-based)
Prebiotics are also helpful. Basically, prebiotics are plant-based complex fiber that fuels the natural good bacteria in your gut. Eating prebiotic foods is kind of like sending free lunch down into your microbiome for happy microorganisms to feast on. Foods that provide prebiotics include:
- Legumes (lentils, beans, peas, or chickpeas)
- Oats or barley
- Apples, berries, or bananas
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Dandelion greens
- Onions, leeks, or garlic
- Chicory root or burdock root
- Wheat bran
Probiotics and other ingredients for menopause: Final thoughts
Menopause isn’t something to “fix”—it’s a natural transition, and you deserve to feel supported every step of the way. Probiotics and other supplements can be great allies. Add them to your everyday healthy habits like nourishing meals, movement you enjoy, and good quality sleep. Before starting any new routine, check in with your healthcare provider to make sure it’s right for you. And remember: these changes are normal, and you have options to feel your best through them.
Want more ideas for gut health support? Learn more about our digestive wellness collection.
Written by Katherine Innis
